Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5): Guirassy hat-trick not enough as Barca survive scare to reach Champions League semi-finals
Borussia Dortmund produced a spirited 3-1 win over Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, but it wasn’t enough to overturn a heavy first-leg deficit as Barça advanced 5-3 on aggregate to reach their first semi-final since 2019.
Guirassy Hat-Trick Inspires Dortmund Fightback
Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy was the star of the night at Signal Iduna Park, netting a stunning hat-trick and giving fans hope of an historic comeback. But despite their best efforts, Barcelona’s dominant 4-0 first-leg win at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ultimately proved insurmountable.
“We needed a miracle,” Dortmund manager Niko Kovac admitted before the match, referencing Barça’s own iconic 2017 comeback against PSG. And for long stretches of this clash, the miracle looked just about possible.
Guirassy opened the scoring with a cool ‘Panenka’ penalty in the 11th minute after Wojciech Szczesny brought down Pascal Gross. The Guinea international doubled his tally shortly after half-time, heading home a flicked-on corner to make it 2-0 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.
With Barcelona rattled, Dortmund pushed forward relentlessly. But momentum shifted when Ramy Bensebaini misjudged a clearance, slicing the ball into his own net in the 54th minute to restore Barca's three-goal cushion across the tie.
Final Twist Falls Short
Despite the setback, Dortmund continued to press. Guirassy struck again in the 76th minute, rifling a loose ball into the top corner to complete his hat-trick and notch his 13th Champions League goal this season—a phenomenal personal campaign.
Substitute Julian Brandt thought he had made it 4-1 moments later, but his breakaway goal was ruled out for offside. The final whistle ended Dortmund’s dreams of a historic semi-final run, but they exited the competition with their heads held high.
“We gave everything. The belief was there. We had them worried,” said Gross, who returned from suspension to play a vital role in midfield.
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